IDIS: Serious action on Davao Gulf water

By Regina Mae Ronquillo on July 10, 2019

A local environment group calls for “serious monitoring and actions” from all stakeholders after the water quality of the swimming course supposedly to be used in the last Sunday 5150 Triathlon Davao failed to meet the recreational standards during testing.

Organizers canceled the swim leg of the sports event after the results of the quality testing revealed that the “water is not currently suitable for recreational use.”

Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) executive director Chinkie Golle said this is actually the “current reality of the water quality of our beaches in Davao.”

“Matagal na namonitor ng (It has long been monitored by the) EMB that the water has high percentage of fecal colifom,” Golle said.

On the 2015 data of from the study conducted bt the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) on the level of coliform in Davao Gulf, the agency confirmed the presence of high coliform among beaches in the city.

The coliform count in a sampling station in Davao River amounted to 16-million MPN (most probable number) per 100 liters compared to the standard of standard of 200 MPN per 100 liters.

“This is because of the continuing poor sanitation, poor sewage and sewerage management of industries, plants operating in Davao including livestock and poultry wastes directly thrown to our rivers, open defecation, and other pollutants that end up in our shorelines to the oceans,” she continued.

She also added that local and national government agencies “should be in the frontline of implementing the environmental laws and policies.”